Fall Semester Tour Starts in Arkansas, North Carolina

To mark the 2013 fall semester, USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah is visiting universities across the country to discuss solutions to some of the world's biggest development challenges.

He kicked off the tour two weeks ago with visits to the University of Arkansas and Duke University. At the North Carolina powerhouse, Shah gave a speech on America's Innovation Development Economy where he talked about his vision for development partnerships as not only advancing human progress, but also laying the foundation for American economic success in the markets of the future.

Administrator Shah will visit more universities this fall and discuss how USAID can partner with various organizations in and outside of government to end extreme poverty worldwide. Follow hashtag #FallSemester to join the conversation on Twitter. Keep updated with our calendar on our Fall Semester webpage to see if Administrator Shah will be visiting a campus near you.

Walmart, USAID Team Up to Back Farmers in Developing World

During his stop in Arkansas, Administrator Shah met with officials from Walmart and signed an agreement with the company and its foundation that will improve livelihoods around the world by promoting women's economic empowerment, sustainable agriculture, environmental sustainability and vocational and life skills training for youth.

The partnership between Walmart and USAID will marry the expertise of both organizations as well as allow for scaling up of existing programs. So, in Central America for example, USAID will train farmers to produce larger harvests that meet specific agricultural standards, while Walmart determines the correct assortment of produce for their stores and the right timing to bring it to market. Walmart and USAID believe this collaboration will be a win-win as farmers will gain a sustainable income. Moreover, Walmart gets access to locally grown fruits and vegetables, and consumers in the region get the products they want. Last year alone, Walmart purchased $75 million in produce from 3,400 small- and medium-sized farmers and their families, accounting for 35 percent of fruit, grain, and vegetables sold in its stores across Central America.

"Our global partnership is emblematic of USAID's new model of development and our commitment to work with private sector companies to end extreme poverty around the world," Administrator Shah said during his visit to Walmart headquarters in Bentonville, Ark.

Other opportunities through this agreement include leveraging the Feed the Future initiative to assist more African farmers. Read the Impact Blog to learn more about the partnership and what USAID and Walmart have in common.

MDG Countdown and Persons with Disabilities on U.N. General Assembly Agenda

Big-button keyboards, trackballs, touch screens, and joysticks are assistive devices that help students with disabilities participate in integrated classrooms.

USAID

The 68th United Nations General Assembly begins next week in New York, and Agency leaders will participate in several events Sept. 23-27. This year's assembly will partly focus on the realization of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other agreed development goals for persons with disabilities.

Celebrating International Day of Democracy

A group of Kenyan youth marching for peace before the general elections in March 2013.

USAID/Kenya

Did you know that 22 years ago, less than half of the world's countries were democracies? Today, more than 60 percent are democracies.

This week, USAID celebrated International Day of Democracy and its theme "Strengthening Voices for Democracy," reminding us of the importance of citizens' voices in today's political, economic, social and technological debates. The ability of all citizens to decide how they are governed and participate meaningfully in political processes is at the core of democracy.

Working to End Preventable Child Deaths in Latin America

Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have reduced maternal and child mortality significantly over the past two decades. But many mothers and children continue to die from preventable causes, particularly in low-income and marginalized populations.

To address this problem, USAID along with seven other international organizations met in Panama last week to launch

A Promise Renewed, a regional effort to rapidly reduce disparities that contribute to maternal and child mortality and to strengthen regional cooperation to improve maternal and child health. Read this Impact blog by USAID Global Health Administrator Ariel Pablos-Mendez on how we can work to address inequalities to save lives in Latin America. And read more about our work in Latin America with this story from FrontLines:

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